Method and device for surveying wells



Oct. 17, 1933. H. P. wlcKER'sHAM ET AL 1,930,832

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SURVEYING WELLS I Filed May 20, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SURVEYING WELLS Harry P. Wickersham, Huntington Park, and

AGilbert V. Roberts, Maywood, Calif.

Application May 20, 1930. Serial No. 454,021 18 Claims. (Cl. 255-1) This invention relates to a method and device operation and which is constructed so that it will for use in well drilling operations and relates not be collapsed by the excessive hydrostatic or more particularly to a method and a device for head pressures in the well bore.

indicating and determining the deviation or incli- Other objects and features of our invention will nation of a well bore from the vertical. be best and more fully understood from the fol- 60 Deep Wells, such as oil wells,y are often drilled lowing detailed description of a typical form and crooked. It is desirable for numerous reasons application of the invention, throughout which that a well bore be straight and therefore various description reference is had to the accompanying types of devices have been proposed and used to drawing, in which:

indicate and determine the inclination of deep Fig. 1 is a view illustrating the device provided 65 Wells. Some devices that have been employed by this invention mounted in a drilling string for this purpose are run into the drill pipe imwithin a well bore. Fig. 2 is an enlarged longimediately before it is withdrawn from the bore tudinal detailed sectional view of the device il- While others require drilling-operations to be suslustrating it in the normal 'or unactu'ated position.

pended and the drilling string removed from the Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating the 70 well to permit the surveying instrument to be device in the operated position. Fig. 4isatranslowered'into the well. verse detailed sectional View taken as indicated It is a general object of this invention to proby line 4 4 on Fig. 2. vide a simple, practical, and effective surveying The device provided by the present invention device for use in well drilling operations for indiincludes, generally, a body 10 adapted to be ar- 75 eating the inclination of a well bore. ranged in an operating string of drill. pipe, or the It is another object of this invention to provide like, a shell or cage ll within the body 10, a valve a well surveying device that is adapted to be ar- 12 on the cage 11 operable to control the flow of ranged in an operating string carrying a drilling fluid through the body l0, a plumb bob 13 within tool and which is operable to indicate to the the cage 11 normally holding the valve l2 open 80 driller or operator that the well bore is crooked or and releasable to swing or oscillate to permit closdeviating from the vertical. ing of the valve 12, means 14 for recording the It is another object of this invention to provide extent of inclination of the well bore, and means a device of the character mentioned that is operl5 for equalizing the fluid pressures in the cage able to record the extent of deviation or inclina- 11 and the operating string. 85

tion of the Well bore. The body 10 is adapted to be arranged in an Another object of the invention is to provide a operating string of drill pipe, or the like, and is method for acertaining whether the drilling tool provided to carry or encase the various other is vertical or inclined. In accordance with the parts of the device. The body 10 may be conmethod provided by the present invention, the structed for connection between various parts of 90 operator or driller may determine the position o1' an operating string. In the particular case il- V the drilling tool, or, more properly, the vertical lustrated in the drawing the body l0 is adaptedposition of the operating string adjacent the to be connected between a sub 16 and a tool joint drilling tool, by varying the pressure on the cirsection 17. The body 10 is a tubular member culating fluid passing through the drilling string. having a central longitudinal opening 18 forming 95 Another object of this `invention is to provide a fluid passage between the sub 16 and tool joint a Well surveying device of the character mensection 17. The body 10 is preferably arranged tioned that may be reset in the unactuated posiadjacent or immediately above the drilling tool tion after actuation without being withdrawn or bit 19 carried at the lower end of the operating from the well. The device is such that it may string. In the drawing the body 10 is shown con- 100 be operated to indicate to the driller that the Well nected with a drill collar 20 carrying the bit 19 bore is being drilled crooked and may be reset by the tool joint section 17. The body 10 may after operation without being withdrawn from be connected with 'the string of drill pipe by the the well, so that means may be taken to straighten sub 16 and a suitable tool joint 21. The upper V 53 the well bore and drilling operations continued. portion of the opening 18 of the body 10 is screw 10'5 In fhS manner a Well may be drilled Straight 01 threaded to receive the tapered screw-threaded vertical with great facility. Y pin 22 of the sub 16. A downwardly-projecting It is a further object of the invention to proscrew-threaded pin 23 may be provided at the Vd a Well SllIVeyllg device of the character lower end of the body 10 to thread into the box 5 mentioned that is simple in construction and or socket of the tool joint section 17. An in- 110 ternal shoulder 24 is provided in the body l0 to carry the cage 11. f

' The shell or cage 1l is removably mounted or supported within the body 10. The cage 11 may include an upper or main section 25 for carrying the valve 12 and plumb bob 13 and a lower section 26 for carryng the means 14 and 15. rlhe main section 25 of the cage 11 is tubular and has a radial enlargement or head 27 at its upper end for seating on the shoulder 24, a reduced neck portion 28 for carrying the stem of the valve 12, and an enlarged lower portion 29 encasing the plumb bob 13. The head 27 is provided with an upwardlyfacing socket 30 for receiving or holding the head of the valve l2. The head 27 may be provided with a beveled lower edge to cooperate with the beveled shoulder 24 of the body to support the cage within the body. The lower portion 29 is comparatively large to provide space for the free swinging of the plumb bob 13. The lower section 26 may be screw threaded into the"tlower end of the portion 29, and the means 15 carried by the section 26 closes the lower end of the cage. The reduced portion 28 and the lower portion 29 and the section 26 are of less diameter than the opening 18 of the body 10 so that there is an annular passage through the body 10 for passing circulation fluid. A plurality of openings 32 are provided in the head 27 and extend downwardly through the head from the bottom of the socket 30 to pass fluid into the body 10.

The valve l2 is provided to control the passage of fluid through the openings 32 and includes a stem 33 slidable in the reduced portion 28 of the case 11 and a head 34 in the socket 30 adapted to close the passages or openings 32. Rings 35 may be provided on the stem 33 to seal with the walls of the opening in the reduced part 28. The head 34 is provided with a flat lower side to cooperate with the bottom of the socket 30 to close the openings 32. The upper side of the head 34 may be convex or conical and is adapted to engage the lower end of the pin 22 to limit upward movement of the valve. The valve. 12 is normally held in the open position where the head 34 is spaced from the bottom of the socket 30 by the plumb bob 13 as will be hereinafter described.

The invention provides means for returning the valve 12 to the open position after it has been closed and for releasing the plumb bob 13 for movement upon the fluid pressure in the operating string being reduced. A helical spring 36 is arranged under compression between the lower end of the stem 33 and an internal shoulder 37 in the cage 11. The valve 12 is adapted to be closed by pressure in the operating string acting downwardly 'on the head 34 when the plumb bob 13 is released and the spring 36 is operable to return the valve to the open position upon pressure on the fluid in the operating string being reduced. i

The plumb bob 13 normally holds the valve 12 against downward movement and is releasably held in the normal unactuated position until the pressure on the fluid in the operating string is reduced when the spring 36 operates to release it so that it may swing from its normal central position to a true vertical position in the event that the well bore -is crooked or inclined. The plumb bob 13 -is suspended from the lower end of the stem 33 so that it is free to tilt or swing. A ball or sphere 40 is provided at the upper end of the plumb bob 13 and is seated in opening 31 of the a socket 41 in the lower end of the stem 33. A

`retaining `member 42 may be screw threaded on a reduced part of the stem 33 to retain the ball 40 in the socket 41. A sharpened pin 43 is removably screw threaded on the lower end of the plumb bob 13 and normally extends into an opening 44 in the upper end of a rest 45 on the upper end of the section 26. The `rest 45 is centrally located on the upper end of the section 26 and projects upwardly from the section 26. The pin 43 normally is held in the opening 44 of the rest to hold the plumb bob 13 against movement and to prevent closing of the valve 12 by the downward pressure of the fluid on the valve-head 34. Upon the pressure on the fluid in the operating string being reduced, the spring 36 raises the -valve 12 and plumb bob 13 so that the pin is 44 allowing the plumb the event that the well freed from the opening bob to tilt or swing in bore is inclined.

The means 14 for recording the inclination of the well bore includes a disk or plate 46 of a comparatively soft material mounted on the upper end of the lower section 26 and adapted to be engaged and marked or indented by the pin 43. The plate 46 may be formed of lead, or the like, and is mounted on the upper end of the section 26 around the rest 45. The upper side of the plate 46 may be concave to conform to the arc of oscillation of the plumb bob 13. The upper side of the plate 46 may be calibrated to indicate the extent of inclination of the well bore from the vertical. The pin 43 and plate 46 are related to the valve 12 so that the lower side of the valve head 34 is adapted to engage the bottom of the socket 30 to close the openings 32 when the pin engages the upper side of the plate 46.

The cage 11 is preferably filled with liquid to prevent the high head or hydrostatic pressures in the operating string and well bore from collapsing the cage. The cage 1l may be filled with heavy oil, or the like. The invention provides means for equalizing the fluid pressures in the body 10 and the cage 11 so that the valve stem 33 is free to be operated in the opening of the cage. The lower section 26 of the cage has a downwardly-projecting tubular extension 50. Ports 51 communicate between the interior of the cage 1l and the upper end of the opening 52 of the extension 50. A piston 53 is slidably ar-A ranged in the opening 52. The piston 53 is normally yieldingly urged upwardly by a spring 54 arranged under compression between the lower end of the piston 53 and a nut or plug 55 threaded into the lower end of the extension 50. The plug 55 is provided with an opening 56 communicating with the opening 52 to permit the fluid pressure in the body and operating string to act against the lower side of the piston 54. During the course of normal drilling operations the fluid pressure in the operating string acts against the piston 53 so that the pressure on the fluid in the case 11 is equal to the pressure on the fluid in the operating string.

In carrying out the method provided by the invention, the surveying device is arranged in the operating string carrying a drilling bit 19, or the like, and is preferably arranged in the string a short distance above normally `in the open or intermediate position illustrated in Fig. 2 and is retained in this position by the circulation fluid passing downwardly through the operating string and acting against the upper end of the head 34. When it is desired the pressure on the circulation fluid is reduced so that the spring 36 moves the valve 12 and the plumb bob 13 upwardly. Upon upward movement of the plumb bob it is freed from the support 45 and permitted to swing to a vertical position.

In the event that the'well bore and the operating string are inclined from the vertical, as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing, the plumb bob will swing to a position out of alignment with the rest or support 45. Pressure is then applied to the fluid in the operating string which forces the valve 12 and plumb bob 13 downwardly, causing the pin 43 to engage the plate 46 and closes the valve 12. Upon the valve^l2 being closed, the pumps supplying the circulation fluid to the operating string will labor and inform the driller or operator that the flow of circulation fluid is stopped. Engagement of the pin 43 with the plate 46 makes an impression on the plate to indicate the inclination Vof the well bore. The device may be withdrawn from the well, if desired, for inspection to determine the extent of inclination, or the operating string may be raised a short distance to bring the device into a straight ver- `tical portion of the bore, and, upon pressure being taken off the fluid in the operating string, the spring 36 moves the valve 12 and plumb bob 13 upwardly so that the pin 43 will be in alignment with the opening 44. Pressure may then be applied to the uid in the operating string to move the valve 12 and plumb bob 13 downwardly to bring a pin 46 into the opening 44. With the parts in this position, fluid is free to ow through the operating string and drilling operations may be continued or means taken to straighten the well bore. In practice, the pressure on the circulation iluid may be reduced at anygiven interval (either of time or of distance drilled) and upon the driller becoming aware that the drilling tool is not forming a vertical hole, means, well known to well drillers, may be taken to connect the deviation of the hole before continuing the usual drilling operations. In most cases the deviation may be corrected without removingthe drill pipe from the well bore. It will be obvious that with the use of the device of this invention, a true vertical well bore may be drilled with great ease.

It is to be noted that the invention provides a well surveying instrument that may be connected in an operating string carrying a drilling tool and which may be operated at given intervals or as desired to determine whether the well bore is straight. The device may be reset in the normal position lafter actuation in the manner described above without being withdrawn from the well bore. With the device in its normal position it does not interfere with the circulation of iiuid through the operating string. Thepin 43 is removable so that pins of various sizes may be mounted atthe lower end of the plumb bob. If desired or practical, removable and interchangeable rests 45 having sockets 44 of various sizes may be provided on the cylinder. By varying the size of the pin at the lower end of the plumb bob, or the rest 45, or both, the plumb bob may be freed from the rest 45 upon the device being operated in a Well bore havingany given inclination. The cage 11 may be easily removed from within the body 10 and the section 26 disconnected from the section 25 so that the plate 46 may beA inspected to determine the extent of `inclination recorded on the plate.

Having described only a typical preferred form 1 1,930,882 to determine whether the well bore is inclined,

of our invention, we do not wish to limit ourselves to the specific details set forth, but wish to reserve to ourselves any changes or variations that may appear to those skilled in the art or` fall within the scope of the following claims:

Having described our invention, we claim: r 1. A device of the character described including, a body adapted to be mounted in an operating string of drill pipe, the body having an opening communicating with the drill pipe, a valve operable to control the passage of fluid through the opening, a plumb bob connected with the valve, means for releasably holding the plumb bob against movement in a position where it holds the valve open, and means for releasing the plumb bob for movement upon the fluid pressure in the operating string being reduced.

2. A device of the character described including, a tubular body adapted to be mounted in a string of drill pipe, a valve operable by fluid pressure in the drill pipe to prevent the flow of fluid through the body, a plumb bob connected with the valve, means releasably holding the plumb in a position where it prevents closing of the valve, and means for releasing the plumb bob upon the pressure on the iiuid in the drill pipe being reduced.

3. A device of the character'described including, a tubular body adapted to be mounted in aA string of drill pipe, a valve operable by fluid pressure `in the drill pipe to restrict the flow of fluid through the body'in one direction, a plumbbob connected with the valve, means releasably holding the plumb bob in a position where it prevents operation of the valve, Land means for releasing the plumb bob for oscillation upon the pressure on the fluid in the drill pipe being reduced, the valve being operable upon release of the plumb bob to restrict the flovv of iluid through the body in one direction.

4. A device of the character described including, a tubular body adapted to be mounted in a string of drill pipe, a valve operable by fluid pressure in the drill pipe to prevent the yilow of fluid through the body, a plumb bob connected with the valve, means whereby uid pressure holds the plumb bob against movement in a position where it prevents closing of the valve, and means for releasing the plumb for movement `upon pressure in the drill pipe being reduced.

5. A device of the character described including, a tubular body adapted to be mounted in a string of drill pipe, a valve operable by fluid pressure in the drill pipe to restrict the ow of fluid through the body, a plumb bob connected with the valve, a rest supporting the plumb bob in a vertical position against movement where it prevents operation of (the valve when the fluid in the drill pipe is under a predetermined pressure, and means for releasing the plumb from the rest upon the pressure in the drilling string being reduced to permit operation of the valve by fluid pressure in the event the plumb bob is out of vertical alignment with the rest. o

6. A device of the character described including, a tubular body adapted to be mounted in a recording the position of the plumb bob in the event it swings out of engagement with the rest.

7. A device of the character described including, a tubular body adapted to be mounted in a string of drill pipe, a valve operable by fluid pressure in the drill pipe to prevent the ow of nuid through the body, a plumb bobconnected with the valve, a rest supporting the plumb bob in a vertical position against movement where it prevents closing of the valve when the iluid pressure in the drill pipe is at a predetermined pressure, means for releasing the plumb bob from the rest to release the valve for operation upon the pressure in the drill pipe being reduced, and means for recording the position of the plumb bob when the pressure in the drill pipe operates'the valve in the event that the plumb swings out of alignment with the rest.

8. A device of the character described including, a tubular body adapted to be mounted in a string of drill pipe, a valve operable by uid p'ressure in the drill pipe to restrict the flow of iluid through the body, a plumb bob connected with the valve, a rest supporting the plumb bob in a vertical position against movement where it holds the valve against operation when the fluid pressure in the drill pipe is at a predetermined pressure, means for releasing the plumb bob from the rest to release the valve for operation upon the pressure in the drill pipe being reduced, and means for recording the position of the plumb bob when the pressure in the drill pipe operates the valve in the event that the plumb swings out of alignment with the rest, said recording means including an impressionable plate: adapted to be engaged by the plumb bob.

9. A device ofthe character described including, a tubular body adapted to be mounted in a tubular operating string, a cage mounted in the body and spaced from the walls of the body, a valve operable by pressure in the string to restrict the passage of fluid through the body, a stem on Athe valve slidable in the cage, a plumb bob attached to the stem and disposed within the cage, a rest engaging the plumb bob to hold it against movement in a position where it holds the valve against operation, and means for releasing the plumb from the rest to permit swinging of the plumb out of alignment with the rest so that the valve may operate.

10. A device of the character described including, a tubular vbody adapted to be mounted in a tubular operating string, a cage mounted in the body and spaced from the walls of the body, a valve operable by pressure in the string to restrict the passage of uid through the body, a stem on the valve slidable in the cage, a plumb bob attached to the stem and disposed within the cage, a rest engaging theplumb bob to hold it against movement in a position where it holds the valve against operation, meansfor equalizing the flud pressures in the cage and body, and means for releasing the plumb from the rest to permit swinging of the plumb out of alignment with the rest, so that the valve may operate.

11. A devicel of the character described including, a tubular body adapted to bemounted in a tubular operating string, a cage mounted in the body andspaced from the Walls of the body, a valve operable by pressure in the string to restrict the passage of uid through the body, a stem on the valve slidable in the cage, a plumb bob attached to the stem and disposed within the cage, a rest engaging the plumb bob to hold it against movement in a position where it holds the valve against operation, means for'equalizing the uid pressures in the cage and body including a piston slidably carried by the cage and having one end acted upon by fluid pressures in the interior of the body and an opposite end for acting on the 4fluid in the cage, and means for releasing the plumb from the rest to permit swinging of the plumb out of alignment with the rest so that the valve may operate.

12. A device of the character described including, a tubular body adapted to'be mounted in a tubular operating string, a cage mounted in the body and spaced from the walls of the body, a

valve operable by pressure in the string to restrict the passage of iuid through the body, a stem on the valve slidable in the cage, a plumb bob attached to the stem and disposed within the cage, a rest engaging the plumb bob'to hold it against movement in a position Where it holds the valve against operation, and means for releasing the plumb bob from the rest to permit swinging of the plumb bob out of alignment with the rest so that the valve may operate, including a spring engaging the stem and adapted to raise the valve and plumb bob upon thepressure in the operating string being reduced.

13. In a well surveying device, a 'tubular body adapted to be mounted in a tubular operating string, an impression plate in the body, a plumb bob in the body operable to mark the impression plate, means normally releasably holding the plumb bob against movement, and means operable by reducing the pressure on fluid passing through the operating string to release the plumb bob and to operate it into engagement with the impression plate,"the last mentioned means including a valve connected 'with the plumb bob and acted on by the fluid in the operating string.

14. In a Well surveying device, a tubular body adapted to be mounted in a tubular operating string, an impression plate in the body, a plumb bob in the body operable to mark the impression plate, means normally. releasably holding the plumb bob against movement, and means operable by reducing the pressure on fluid passing through the operating string to release the plumb bob for movement and operation, the last mentioned means including a spring pressed valve operatively connected with the plumb bob and acted upon by the uid in the operating string.

15. In a well surveying device, a tubular body adapted to be mounted in' a tubular operating string, an' impression plate in the body, a plumb bob in the body operable to mark the impression plate, and fluid pressure actuated means for normally holding the plumb bob against operation and operable to release the plumb bob for movement upon the pressure on the uid passing through the string being reduced.

16. In combination, an operating string of drill pipe for passing fluid under pressure into a well bore from a uid pressure system, and a device mounted in the string including a tubular body interposed in the string of pipe, and means' in the body operable to modify the action of the fluid pressure system to indicate to the operator that the device has udeviated from the vertical, said means including a valve in the body operable to restrict the flow of iluid4 through the body, an element movable by gravity connected with the valve and normally held against movement in a position where it holds the valve against operation, and means for releasing the valve and against movement, and means for releasing the member for movement upon a reduction in the pressure on the fluid in the string, the uid pressure controlled means being operable to move the member into engagement with the disc after operation of the last mentioned means.

18. In a well surveying device adapted to be arranged in a string of drill pipe, a body adapted to be arranged in the string, an impression disc in the body, a gravity governed member adapted to make an impression in the disc, a part engageable by the member to hold the member against movement, means for releasing the member from v said part, and fluid pressure actuated means for operating the member into engagement with theI disc and for lrestricting the ow through the string in the event that the body is not vertical.

HARRY P. WICKERSHAM. GILBERT V. ROBERTS. 

